30Kisses: Tezuka Kunimitsu & Echizen Ryoma
by Dranzen
Summary: 17 Ryoma really likes tennis.
1. Excessive Chain

#13 : Excessive Chain

Tezuka's first boyfriend is not – contrary to what anyone may think or hope – a team-mate or even a member of the tennis club. His first boyfriend is a second-year swimmer who hates it when Tezuka refers to him as senpai.

His swimmer is all long legs and smooth skin, and always moves with a slow kind of grace as though in the water. He is passionate for his sport, but not passionate enough and never understands Tezuka's dedication to tennis. His hair always smells like a different shampoo, and he is always cheerful – though not to the same extent as Kikumaru – yet doesn't feel that silence needs to be filled with chatter.

Tezuka likes him, and especially likes his smile when they kiss by the pool when everyone has gone home.

"Why do I get the feeling you're going to leave me for tennis?" he says, joking and teasing and making Tezuka's heart flutter. He always has one hand tangled in Tezuka's hair and sometimes one on Tezuka's waist. Tezuka just likes to touch him, but he won't say that out loud – ever.

"You're very funny," he replies dryly and kisses his swimmer. When they're together Tezuka sometimes wonders if his is what your first love is supposed to be like.

He wants to teach him tennis: how to play, how to feel, what it's like to break serve and _to_ serve. Tezuka thinks this would be fair; he knows how to swim, after all.

They are together though the summer and into the fall. Tezuka goes to many of his swim meets and he is at every game of the Kantou tournament is there when Hyoutei knocks them out of the Nationals in the first round.

Echizen comes back in October and Tezuka starts cancelling plans they've made to see how much he has improved. The last time they're on the phone together Tezuka apologizes and the swimmer sighs.

"What did I tell you," he mutters, and hangs up.

Tezuka is ashamed a month later when he remembers every point Echizen scored on him, but not his ex-boyfriend's name.

* * *

Tezuka dates a boy with bright blue eyes in his second-year of high school. They meet one week after Echizen loses in the semi-finals of the US Open to Nadal, when Tezuka is vice-captain and Seigaku doesn't make it to the Nationals.

"How are you so good at tennis?" Yori asks him, sketchbook under one arm. He's all smiles and too shy; Tezuka thinks he is weak enough to be annoying at first.

"Practice," Tezuka replies, bowing his head as he turns to leave.

"It's more talent, isn't it?"

Tezuka stops and narrow his eyes at the boy. "Talent needs to be nurtured into ability." He responds, a little more coldly than planned.

Yori continues to smile. "I guess that's why I never got into it."

Yori is in the art club, but very modest about his work. Tezuka doesn't pry and neither of them ever brings up talent. Their relationship is fragile and slow-moving, and Tezuka wonders what they're both waiting for.

"Echizen is very good," Yori says, lowering his tennis magazine and watching Tezuka flip through a textbook. Yori's voice is softer than usual. Tezuka hopes this is only because of the library's bookie silence. "Is _that_ all talent?"

No, Tezuka thinks as he turns a page. Talent always has to be nurtured.

Yori is very bad at tennis and Tezuka is a truly crappy artist.

* * *

In Tezuka's third-year of high school, he almost dates the boy across the street except Echizen comes back properly and Tezuka thinks he'd rather date him instead.

His mother is confused when Tezuka returns later than usual from tennis practice, excusing his missing dinner with 'captain responsibilities'. Tezuka Ayana simply smiles and nods and tells him to apologize to his grandfather and father. Somehow, she manages to refrain from asking how many laps he did or if Echizen-kun is a regular member yet.

* * *

Kevin Smith comes to the semi-final match against Rikkai but no-one notices until they're leaving to celebrate the victory with the absent Kawamura. He approaches Echizen and commends him on a match well-played and then there is a tense silence between them.

Eventually, Echizen nods and moves around him to join the waiting and confused Kikumaru and Momoshiro. Tezuka is extremely pleased by this and is tempted to suggest a haircut to Smith: perhaps his tennis would improve.

He would assign himself laps for such a thought, but he's too busy kissing and being kissed by Echizen to run later.

Fuji says that he's continued to play tennis just for this at dinner. He's smiling when he pops a wasabi roll in his mouth and Kikumaru flinches out of tradition. Tezuka doesn't really understand, but he is worried about the scowl on Echizen's face as his tennis bag vibrates on the floor.

When everyone else is gone and Echizen is clutching at the back of Tezuka's dress shirt (he manages not to worry about what to tell his mother), the smile on the freshman's lips is warm and his eyes are bright. "You know, buchou," he says, leaning his head on Tezuka's shoulder. "I've been waiting for this, too."

Fuji makes a little mores sense then, but Tezuka doubts he and Echizen mean the same thing.

* * *

The swimmer comes to the final three days later and the entire tennis club is curious as to what the ex-vice-captain of the swim team is doing at their game. Tezuka takes a moment away from his team to greet their visitor; he's not as nervous or as shocked as he supposes he should be.

"Be a little more grateful, Tezuka-kun," the swimmer says, hands in his jean pockets. His hair looks longer, and he doesn't make Tezuka's heart beat any faster, but everything else about him is the same. "I skipped classes today to watch your game." He is casual as always, teasing Tezuka.

He nods and mutters a 'thank you,' before turning to meet with the regulars one more time. This time, there won't be a chance to be together again and Tezuka knows tension is high.

"Is that Echizen?"

Tezuka stops and looks at the swimmer (does he still swim? He must.). There is silence and then he follows his line of sight to where Echizen is watching them with a small frown. He nods.

"Yes."

He looks back at the swimmer in time to see him roll his eyes.

"Thank you for coming, senpai." Tezuka says, ashamed once again that he can't remember the young man's name anymore.

The swimmer smiles. "My pleasure, Tezuka-kun."

At the beginning of the second set against Akutagawa, Tezuka remembers the name Moriyama Akira but can't place a face to it.

When first doubles begins at the end of his match, the swimmer is gone but he doesn't notice because Echizen is shaking, looking forward to the match with Atobe.

Tezuka's looking forward to it as well.

-owari


	2. 10

UM, WTF MAN. TT Why is this one so crappy? I apologize.

* * *

Ten is the time-difference between Japan and Germany; it means the time Ryoma wastes getting up in the middle of the night to think about calling buchou. He never musters up the courage to even dial the number, and always manages to get at least two more hours of sleep

Ten is the number of hours Ryoma spends asleep on a plane flying from Tokyo to Seattle; it means how long he dreamt of going to the nationals with his team-mates. He is in a foul mood when Kevin meets him at the airport, all smiles and promises of coffee that Ryoma doesn't want.

Ten is the age Tezuka is the first time he wins a tennis tournament; it means that his hard work paid off. He always remembers the euphoria of his first victory and believes that will propel him to the top.

Ten is the number of times the ball bounces against the wall before rolling away; it means his shoulder hasn't quite healed yet. He will always worry, even when the pain becomes an ache and then just a memory.

Ten is the number of letters Ryoma writes to his team-mates; it means he won't send any of them. He always scowls when he looks at the letters in his desk drawer, a constant reminder of his own cowardice and irresponsibility.

Ten is the number of opponents Ryom faces in the US Open; it means he played at least 180 games. He doesn't like this number: it is too high, especially when he comes home empty-handed.

Ten is how many days they spend at the nationals; it means they've reached the top. He knows they still have a long way to go.

Ten is the number Seigaku is one short of; it means Echizen is back. Tezuka knows they'll take the championship now.

Ten is how many days following the final Ryoma thinks; it means he is worried, confused. He makes his decision on the eleventh morning, and tells him on the twelvth.

Ten is how many breaths Ryoma takes in the silence; it means buchou hasn't left yet, hasn't said no yet. He thinks this is enough an answer for him.

Ten is the number Tezuka tells himself to count to; it means Echizen is twelve and male. He somehow forgets this when Echizen grins up at him.

Ten is the number of laps he tells himself to run; it means he is being careless. He will run them one day, and most likely with Echizen.

Ten is the number of fingers in the warm mess that is their entwined hands; it means Ryoma thought right. He knows it won't last for very long, but that's okay because holding hands is embarrassing and _careless_.

Ten is the number of times they walk home together before Echizen kisses him good-night; it means Tezuka won't sleep well that night. He has a feeling Echizen (or Fuji) will tease him.

Ten is the number of calls between them before Tezuka kisses him back; it means Tezuka waits at least until Echizen is a teenager. He is sure thirteen isn't much better than twelve, but it makes all the difference to Echizen.

Ten is the number of non-regular seniors that leave the club in January; it means everyone is reminded of entrance exams and graduation. He knows he doesn't want to say good-bye to anyone or to their club.

Ten is the number of times Tezuka unsuccessfully studies in Ryoma's room; it means he and Karupin are a good team when it comes to distracting buchou. He knows Tezuka is grateful when there is something to distract him from high school.

Ten is how long Ryoma waits before returning to America; it means 'maybe next time'. He is always restless, much like his father, and Tezuka can accept that.

* * *


	3. khZ

Tennis is everything.

Tennis is shockwaves running through him; it is breathing sweet air after diving and the power to move mountains. Tennis is energy and electricity and _immortality_ at his fingertips.

To Ryoma, tennis is the most exciting thing in the world. It is more stimulating than any drink and more filling than any meal. Tennis is everything he deems wonderful in the world, and he can't imagine himself without it.

Ryoma has grown in tennis, found friends he'd never dreamed of having before in tennis – to his thirteen-year-old mind he'd be nothing without tennis.

Everything can come back to tennis, but Ryoma isn't obsessed. He likes other things too – though he will always find little as perfect as tennis.

He likes sleeping and running and funny movies. He more than likes his cat and he enjoys exchanging insults with his father over dinner and reading mystery novels. Ryoma likes his team-mates and misses Seigaku. He'll never admit it, but he always tries to watch the clichéd dramas his mother loves. Ryoma likes to travel and laugh and making the stupid people in the world miserable.

He can't bring himself to like girls, however hard he tries. As far as he's concerned, most of them suck at tennis and are just boring or smell weird. Momo-senpai often sends e-mails gushing about Tachibana's younger sister. Ryoma mostly ignores these.

When he gets these e-mails and wonders why he can't feel that way he goes to bed and dreams of wearing his regular jersey again and running across a tennis court covered in great Greek pillars painted in Seigaku's colours. Always, Kevin Smith is yelling for him to come back.

He's never been kissed and has never kissed anyone, but from the way his senpai and classmates talk it's the kind of thing that makes your fingertips tingle and entire body warm. Ryoma doesn't believe this; to him the only thing that could do that to him is, of course, tennis. When Fuji-senpai texts him in the middle of the night in his distorted English about whether he has a girlfriend yet Ryoma rolls his eyes and replies in Japanese, "of course not".

When he goes back to sleep that night, he dreams of hiking just behind buchou and dragging his tennis bag behind them. Always, buchou asks whether they're there or not, and always Ryoma answers "mada mada dane" – even though he'd never say that to buchou. Eventually, he turns around and takes Ryoma's tennis bag, saying "When are you coming back?"

Ryoma wakes feeling as though every nerve in his body is on fire and his fingers itching for his racket. His father isn't pleased when he wakes him at three o'clock, demanding a match.

Tennis is like a fire burning in the pit of his stomach and a super static shock running up his left arm. Tennis is perfect.

Ryoma thinks kissing buchou would be a lot like tennis.


End file.
